Cybercrime and Policing (CARI)

An Evidence-Based Approach to Fighting Cybercrime from the Frontline: Improving the Effectiveness and Efficiency of Investigating Cyber Enabled Crime (CARI)

A research collaboration between academics and police cybercrime investigators has been funded to improve and incorporate an evidence-based approach into the frontline policing of digital forensics and cybercrime investigations. Cyber investigation police officers will undergo research training and will work with academics to conduct innovative research projects, focusing on identifying and addressing weaknesses in police processes. Leeds Beckett University will be working in close collaboration with West Yorkshire Police, and with external partners from CENTRIC at Sheffield Hallam University and Canterbury Christ Church University.

A research and training collaboration, has been established between West Yorkshire Police and Leeds Beckett University. The collaboration will involve implementing a training and research programme that will directly impact the capability of the digital forensics and cyber units within West Yorkshire Police to understand, critique, and use research, and which will impact the support and evidence-based practice that these units provide to frontline officers across the region. A research culture and capacity will be developed within West Yorkshire Police; and through collaborative knowledge exchange and development produce research results that will provide guidance and training materials that will enable police forces to more efficiently and effectively process digital evidence. Two onsite postdoctoral researchers will work with Leeds Beckett academics to collaborate, train, facilitate and guide the cyber investigation units to conduct primary research, and to design process, procedure, tools and a training programme to improve the response and investigation of cybercrime.

Cybercrime is not exclusively a technical problem; this research will analyse the cyber-investigation lifecycle: from the experience of the public when reporting cybercrime, to the call taker, the attending officer, investigator, and the Crown Prosecution Service, to identify key knowledge gaps and needs in the policing of cyber enabled crime.

Academics will supervise force personnel and jointly conduct primary research exploring ways to maximise the efficacy and efficiency of cyber investigations. This collaboration will propose and evaluate process, practice and technological solutions to improve and expedite the identification, triage, acquisition, analysis and presentation of digital evidence. The research output will feed directly into training and equipping the force to deploy evidence-based solutions to cyber investigations, while also enabling the force to further engage in research and professional development. This will enable the force to become self-sustaining through the development of innovative solutions to digital based evidence problems and new technology, and through active engagement in research activities.